How you can pinch 'Pippa Middleton's' bum

Brits are to be given a chance to appear alongside Pippa Middleton, her sister and her new in-laws in their own remake of the Royal Wedding.

Virtual reality firm Yoostar have purchased the rights to the kissing scene from the big day and is letting customers insert themselves into the picture using blue screen technology.

Brits could make a virtual pass at Pippa Middleton. (PA)

'Taking such an iconic piece of history such as the royal wedding and allowing gamers, movie fans and lovers of the British royal family to become Prince William or Kate Middleton is just incredible,' said Yoostar chief executive Greg Fischbach.

'Now you aren't just the star, you can be the object of affection to millions of men and women around the world.'

It means users can put themselves in Prince William's place as he snogs his new bride, or even re-write history by going after Kate's younger sister Pippa instead.

The 27-year-old has grabbed the media eye following her appearance at the Royal Wedding in a tight dress that showed off her superb figure.

Since then, she has been offered $5 million (£3 million) to appear in a porn movie and has seen her bottom get its own 'Pippa Middleton Ass Appreciation Society' page on Facebook, complete with more than 200,000 fans.

Her Alexander McQueen dress even led some commentators to suggest that Prince Harry might even make an attempt to woo her, although these rumours were quickly quashed.

All-female sect worships Vladimir Putin as Paul the Apostle

Vladimir Putin has become the object of veneration for a bizarre Russian all-female sect whose followers believe that the tough-talking prime minister is a reincarnation of the early Christian missionary Paul the Apostle.

Members of the sect that has sprung up in a Russian village some 250 miles southeast of Moscow believe that the 58-year-old macho Russian politician is on a special mission from God.

"According to the Bible, Paul the Apostle was a military commander at first and an evil persecutor of Christians before he started spreading the Christian gospel," the sect's founder, who styles herself Mother Fotina, said.

"In his days in the KGB, Putin also did some rather unrighteous things. But once he became president, he was imbued with the Holy Spirit, and just like the apostle, he started wisely leading his flock. It is hard for him now but he is fulfilling his heroic deed as an apostle."

Reports from the sect's headquarters close to the town of Nizhny Novgorod say that its members are all women who dress like nuns and pray for Mr Putin's success in front of traditional Russian Orthodox Church icons that have been placed alongside a portrait of the Russian prime minister himself.

Followers are reportedly encouraged to sing upbeat patriotic Soviet songs at 'services' rather than hymns.

As befits a sect that worships a man who has denounced the decadence of the oligarchs, the sect's members are said to survive on a Spartan diet of turnips, carrots, peas and buckwheat.

According to local media, Mother Fotina's real name is Svetlana Frolova.

Father Alexei, the priest in the local village church, has dismissed the sect.

"Her so-called teachings are a nonsensical mixture of Orthodoxy, Catholicism, the occult, Buddhism and political information," he said.

"But (Mother) Fotina does not come across as a mad person."

Mr Putin's spokesman said he was bemused.

"This is the first I've heard of such a religious group," said Dmitry Peskov. "It is impressive that they think so highly of the prime minister's work but I would like to recall another of the main commandments: thou shalt not worship false idols."

A new political front created by Mr Putin meanwhile announced it may choose a candidate to run in the 2012 presidential election, in the latest sign the Russian strongman is eyeing a Kremlin return.

Mr Putin set up the Popular Front political movement to unify his supporters, from celebrities to pensioners alike. Dmitry Medvedev, the current president, vowed to respond to Mr Putin’s new coalition, by promising to create “other election alliances”, in the latest sign of a rivalry between the duo.

Eurovision 2011: Jedward into the final

The Irish twins impressed enough viewers of last night's second semi-final to become one of 10 acts to make it through to the final 25.

William Hill could face a seven figure payout if John and Edward Grimes win tomorrow’s Eurovision final in Dusseldorf. The terrible twins from Dublin are rated as 11/4 second favourites following Jedward’s qualification. A huge surge of support across Europe has seen the former X-Factor contestants odds plummet from 25/1 down to 11/4.

Jedward's energetic routines were first seen on The X Factor and for their Eurovision performance the pair dressed like cartoon characters with big-shouldered red sparkly jackets and tight black trousers. They added to the effect with synchronised robotic dance moves as they performed Lipstick.

After their qualification the duo said: "OMG, this is the best thing in the world! We want to thank all the countries who voted for us, our fans, our mentor Caroline [Downey-Desmond], the songwriters and RTÉ. We can't wait to perform again on Saturday. Go Team Jedward!"

Ireland is the contest's most successful country but Jedward have some stiff competition in the final, including the UK's entry Blue with the song I Can.

Blue's Simon Webbe said: "We're in it to win it, for sure."

Other rivals include last year's winner Lena who is defending her title in Dusseldorf, Germany, with the song Taken By A Stranger.

Another former winner, Israel's Dana International, failed to make it through last night's semi-final.

There was also disappointment for another pair of twins. Slovakia's Daniela and Veronika Nizlova - performing as TWiiNS - missed out on a place in the final.

The 56th Eurovision marks a comeback for reformed group Blue. Formed in 2001, Blue are no strangers to the spotlight having released 40 number one singles across the continent and selling 13 million albums.

The band consists of Antony Costa, Duncan James, Simon Webbe and Lee Ryan, who in a break from the traditional public vote, were picked by the BBC to perform in Dusseldorf tomorrow.

The UK's previous win - of five in all - came in 1997 when Katrina And The Waves were victorious.

Blue, who comprise Antony Costa, Duncan James, Simon Webbe and Lee Ryan, split in 2004 and James said: "For us, Eurovision just seemed like the perfect platform. You're reaching out to 125 million people, so in one fell swoop letting everyone know you're back as a band.

"We get to represent our country and put forward a song we've written, so for us it's a great opportunity.

"There are some really great acts this year. Estonia and France have got great songs," he added.

After the group split all four band members chose to pursue solo careers with varying degrees of success.

There will be 66,000 at the Esprit Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany, watching the contest and an estimated global television audience of 125 million people.

German teenager Lena will attempt to become the first Eurovision Song Contest winner to defend her title successfully. Meyer-Landrut, who won last year's contest in Oslo with a British-style pop song Satellite, will be up against performers from 24 countries.

EUROVISION FAVOURITES

France - 15/8

France's Amaury Vassili with his operatic Sognu (I Would Dream About Her) - belted out in the Corsican language - is the favourite to take top honours in Duesseldorf. "I don't have a perfectly trained opera voice yet but my voice is really well adapted to performing in front of large audience," said Vassili, 21. "I will give it my very best."

Ireland - 11/4

Jedward are in the running with Lipstick, aiming to be Ireland's eight winners ever. The 20-year-olds certainly have more chance than 2008's Irish entry, Dustin the Turkey, a flatulent shouting creating who finished 15th with "Irelande Douze Pointe".

Finland - 10/1

Finland have high hopes for Paradise Oskar with his song Da Da Dam, an environmental ballad about a nine-year-old boy who "went out in the world to save the planet" and who "ain't coming back until she's saved".

Pippa rage! Motorist who paid the price for telling his girlfriend he preferred the famous Middleton derriere

He won’t have been the only chap to have admired Pippa Middleton’s shapely figure during the royal wedding.

But he may have been the only one foolish enough to make his appreciation quite so obvious to his partner.

And as this unfortunate driver now knows, hell hath no fury like a woman unfavourably compared with the royal maid of honour. The unknown man was caught on camera with ‘Is Pippa’s bum still better than mine?’ daubed across his Peugeot 206 in white paint.

Hell hath no fury like a bottom scorned! It is thought the unlucky driver of this blue Peugeot made the mistake of telling his better half of his admiration for Pippa Middleton's bottom

The graffiti-covered car was spotted in the Highgate area of Birmingham on Wednesday – much to the amusement of residents.

Builder Clark Butler, 39, from Digbeth, Birmingham, said: ‘It looks like this guy has made the number one mistake of being way too honest.

‘Everybody knows if your girlfriend asks you whether someone is more attractive than them, never say yes, even if it’s true.’

‘It’s a slight overreaction because Pippa’s bum is better than most women’s. She just couldn’t handle the truth by the looks of things.’

Photographer Mathew Growcoot said: ‘It all happened so quickly because the driver wasn’t hanging around. He was shielding his face by the looks of it because everybody was pointing and laughing at him.’

Scene-stealer: Miss Middleton's slim derriere stole the show at the Royal Wedding, where she was sister Kate's maid of honour

A Facebook group, the Pippa Middleton Ass Appreciation Society, now boasts 215,950 followers on the social network. By contrast, the most popular fan page with no explicit mention of her behind can only muster 160,598 followers.

But it is not men as much as women who are buzzing about Miss Middleton's bottom. Particularly the fashion pack, who are as besotted with her enviable figure as they are with her Alexander McQueen dress.

U.S. style blog Fashionista.com published an article entitled In Praise Of Pippa (Especially Her Bum), while fashion blogger Susie Bubble tweeted: 'It has to be said... I’m a tad jels over the pertness of Pip Middleton’s arse…'

Fashion editor and author Derek Blasberg also took to Twitter, writing: 'Unexpected #RoyalWedding facts: Pippa's bum was apparently the center piece of the nuptials.'

Miss Middleton is the Duchess of Cambridge's only sister. They have one younger brother, James, 23, who did the only reading at the wedding ceremony.

She was named Tatler magazine's number one society singleton in 2008, beating Prince William's cousin Princess Eugenie to the title.

She has since become something of a socialite and is known for her love of partying.

In a Daily Mail article earlier this year, writer Plum Sykes said of Miss Middleton: 'Pippa is the luckiest one of all. She gets all the right sort of attention from men, fashion designers, hostesses and things, and doesn’t have any of the duties.

Band of brothers: The original newspaper article about the Stenson family from 1944

Jim Gray, 72, has held on to his copy of the article in the Manchester Evening News since the death of his dad - also called Jim - in the late 80s.

After a ten year mission Mr Gray, from Congleton, Cheshire, used the old newspaper pictures to track down members of the family from as far afield as Australia and Canada.

More than 60 relatives got together at Longsight Cricket Club for a moving reunion.

Mr Gray said: 'It was a very emotional day. We had two half-brothers who only met a few weeks ago, and lots of cousins and other relations who were meeting for the first time.

'It's been almost ten years in the planning. Me and my cousin Roy have been plotting our family tree on a ten-foot piece of wallpaper going back as far as 1901 to trace everyone we could.

'In the end, with some people, it was a case of just having to go up to them and explain who you were. They'd explain who they were then you'd link yourselves together.

'It was a fantastic day. To have people come from all over the world back to Longsight was quite something.'

Jim Sr was pictured on February 28, 1944 for the original newspaper article - along with his wife's eight brothers and her sister's husband, Joe Wild.

All ten of the Stenson Brothers came home safely from the war - despite the fact that five were serving in France when the country fell to the German army in 1940.

Joe, Jack, Bill, Albert and Henry Stenson were all involved in the evacuation of Dunkirk - and later the Lancastria disaster, in which more than 3,000 troops lost their lives when a British troopship was sunk off the Brittany port of Saint-Nazaire.

Jim, Frank and Harry Stenson were also pictured in the article along with Jim Sr and Mr Wild.

Thirteen sons and daughters of the brothers were present at the reunion, as well as their own extended families from across the world.

What a bombshell! Green fingered resident unearths nuclear bunker

12 May 2011

Chris Bidics was trying to level an area when his spade hit something metallic. After digging further, he discovered an iron trapdoor two feet under the grass, opening into a bunker believed to be from the Fifties.

Three metres deep and two by three metres wide, the shelter has thick cabling that could be used for communications, electric sockets, a light fitting, and a line of pegs on the wall.

Mr Bidics, 35, originally from Hungary, said he had been fascinated by Cold War history for years. "I am obsessed about this stuff, interested like a kid would be," he said.

"I grew up behind the iron curtain so we had all these civil defence drills in my childhood in the early Eighties and we had public shelters. We were getting ready for the worst.

"I even talked, jokingly, about moving the ground and putting a shipping container under the house to make a bunker. Now I don't need to. It's my dream come true." During the Cold War Britain developed a national warning system in case of nuclear attack, and public information campaigns, such as Protect and Survive, advised people what to do if the bombs fell.

Terry Charman, senior historian at the Imperial War Museum, said the nuclear bunker was the first of its kind to be discovered in a back garden. He added: "Ordinary families could, at great cost, purchase their own shelters, or convert a World War II shelter into an approximation of a nuclear bunker. This doesn't seem to be a conversion.

"I believe it was law in Switzerland that every resident had to have a bunker or access to one. In Britain it is quite unusual, even for a police station or local government building."

The house is on the site of the old West Hampstead library, destroyed by a Second World War bomb. It is thought to have been Government-owned until the family of Mr Bidics's wife Heidi bought it in the early Eighties.

Now Princess Beatrice is to put her much-ridiculed royal wedding hat up for auction on eBay to raise money for charity.

In an interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show, the Duchess of York said of her daughter’s Philip Treacy fascinator: “She's putting it up on eBay to auction it for UNICEF and for children in crisis.”

The hat has gathered a cult following since the 22-year-old Princess wore it to attend the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge last month.

A Facebook pagededicated to the beige creation has gathered more than 136,000 fans, while numerous spoof photos have been posted on the internet showing figures including Barack Obama wearing it.

Despite the critics, the Princess has defended the hat. In a recent interview with Grazia magazine, she said: “It’s an incredible response to that hat really, I’m glad it provoked so much conversation.

“I think it’s wonderful that it’s had a reaction, it is just a hat after all, and now it has got its own Facebook page and so many fans.”

Treacy, 43, who made hats for several guests at the wedding, including Victoria Beckham, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson and Princess Eugenie, has also defended his designs.

He said: “I thought they looked gorgeous and beautiful. It’s about making you feel a million dollars.

“When you’re wearing something on your head you feel beautiful."

News of the auction drew mixed responses last night on the Facebook page entitled Princess Beatrice's ridiculous Royal Wedding hat.

One member wrote: "It's great that she's trying to raise money for the children, but why would any sane person actually want the hat, even for free?"

Another offered to buy it for $20.

The Duchess of York was not invited to attend the royal wedding on April 29, leaving her former husband the Duke of York to accompany their daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, 21.

Home, sweet Rome: Painter and decorator recreates Sistine Chapel in EVERY room of his council house

From the outside it looks like a normal, drab sixties house like any other on the terraced street.

But inside, tenant Robert Burns has transformed his rented council home in Brighton into a stunning lookalike of the world-famous Sistine Chapel.

Drawing on his skills as a retired decorator he has spent the last eight years turning his £86-a-week property on the outskirts of the East Sussex town into an astonishing Renaissance-style masterpiece.

Every inch of the walls and ceilings is covered with elaborate frescoes inspired by 15th century works by famous Italian painters, complete with gilt-edged nativity scenes and portraits of the Virgin Mary.

Inside his council flat, Robert Burns has created something that represents the Sistine Chapel

The 63-year-old said his labour of love was prompted by the boredom of painting other people's houses in neutral, pastel colours.

he said: 'I spent fifteen years of my working life applying exactly the same shade of magnolia to people's living rooms with a paint roller. You could teach a primate to be a half-decent decorator. I needed a creative outlet.

'One day I saw some photos of the Vatican in Rome and thought, "I could do that'" I never looked back.'

Unable to afford a trip to Italy to look at the original masterpieces, Mr Burns had to recreate the paintings from coffee-table art books bought in jumble sales.

his most recent work - a copy of the Sistine Madonna - sits in his study and he thinks it's his best work to date.

Unsuspecting: The terraced house looks like any other on the street

The self-taught artist is not afraid of adding his own modern touches and in the hallway visitors are greeted by a portrait of Jesus with an uncanny resemblance of Russell Brand with a crown of thorns on his head.

Mr Burns said: 'That's no accident. I saw his photo in a newspaper and he was the spitting image of Christ, so I lifted it.

'It's maybe a bit irreverent, but Michaelangelo used real people as models for his angels, so I don't see any harm in it. In fact I wonder whether Russell might want to buy the picture, like a real Renaissance patron?

'I have huge respect for the old Italian masters, but I don't mind making a few changes here and there.

It's taken eight years for Mr Burns to complete the work throughout his house

'I copied a fresco by Carregio in my stairwell which has an eagle in it. But I think his eagle looks more like a turkey than a bird of prey, so I did my own one.'

Four years ago, when his house - then half-finished - first appeared in the papers, the father-of-four caught the eye of a millionaire property tycoon who commissioned him to refurbish the painted ceiling of his crumbling ballroom.

He said: 'That was a great job. It felt like I was was walking in the footsteps of great artists like Rafael, who all earnt their crust by working as glorified decorators.

'Most people nowadays prefer to live in bland, flat-packed homes though. We've lost the art of proper interior decorating.

His work is painted onto plaster so when he and his wife move out they can't take the work with them

Because he has never been able to afford to go to the Sistine, Mr Burns used pictures of the interior of the chapel to help him draw his paintings

'Maybe they should give me my own daytime TV show where I could teach people how to do Renaissance makeovers.

'This may be a council house, but I live in style, like the Pope, or old Italian nobility. If it's good enough for the Medicis, it's good enough for me.'

His wife Linda, 55, said she is her husband's sternest critic. She said: 'I always let him know what I think. He will ask me if a Madonna would look good on a particular wall, or whether the eyebrows are painted on straight.

'I love what he's done with the house. Robert is so talented. He was wasted as a decorator. The only problem is we have begun to realise his life's work is all painted on plaster.

'So if we ever had to move, we couldn't take it with us. And we can't afford to buy the house, so it all belongs to the council.

'It would be heartbreaking if we had to move out. The new tenant might come in with a roller and paint all the walls magnolia.'

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So much news today is dull, depressing, controversial. It's almost impossible to watch news without hearing story after story of war, terror, killing, destruction, government, corruption, etc. I come across weird and wonderful news items as I scan the worlds press that put a smile on ones face or distract one from all the doom and gloom. These are the stories that will make up "The Quirky Globe". If you have any reactions to articles please leave a comment.... it may encourage debate. Pass this site on to your friends who are also fed up with mainstream news and become a follower. Enjoy and smile.